PA Man Admits to Paying for Monkey Torture Videos

Joseph Buckland pleaded guilty to commissioning animal crush videos that showed monkeys being seriously injured.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 6:22pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a crushed monkey's paw against a pitch-black background, conveying a stark, gritty, and investigative aesthetic without depicting actual violence.A disturbing glimpse into the criminal world of 'animal crush videos', where innocent creatures are subjected to unthinkable cruelty.Today in Pittsburgh

A 44-year-old Pennsylvania man named Joseph Buckland has pleaded guilty to paying others to create illegal 'animal crush videos' where monkeys and other mammals were purposefully crushed, burned, drowned, or otherwise subjected to serious bodily harm. Buckland admitted to sending money on over 15 occasions to commission these disturbing videos, which he and others then shared on an instant messaging app.

Why it matters

Animal crush videos are a serious federal crime that not only inflict cruelty on innocent animals, but are also often linked to other dangerous and violent criminal behavior that threatens public safety. Prosecuting these cases is a priority for law enforcement in order to disrupt the broader market for this type of depraved content.

The details

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Buckland and others pooled their money to commission the creation of these animal crush videos, which show 'actual obscene conduct' where living non-human mammals like monkeys were 'purposely crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury.'

  • Buckland pleaded guilty on April 3, 2026.
  • He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 29, 2026.

The players

Joseph Buckland

A 44-year-old man from Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania who pleaded guilty to paying others to create illegal 'animal crush videos' showing monkeys and other mammals being seriously harmed.

U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti

The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania who stated that 'producing and trafficking in animal crush videos is a serious federal crime' and that his office will continue to investigate and prosecute these types of crimes.

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What they’re saying

“'Producing and trafficking in animal crush videos is a serious federal crime. Intentionally inflicting harm and torture on innocent animals not only feeds a broader market of criminal depravity, it also often is linked to, or leads to, additional dangerous and violent conduct that further erodes society and public safety. With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute all crimes involving violations of federal law relating to horrific acts of cruelty to animals.'”

— Troy Rivetti, U.S. Attorney

What’s next

Buckland is scheduled to be sentenced on October 29, 2026 for his guilty plea related to the animal crush video charges.

The takeaway

This case highlights the serious criminal nature of 'animal crush videos' and the broader links between animal cruelty and other dangerous criminal behavior. It underscores the importance of law enforcement efforts to disrupt this disturbing market and hold perpetrators accountable under federal law.